Permission granted for four homes behind historic Haverhill cottages

Jason Crooks beside the two cottages in Haverhill High Street

Jack Tappin

Planning permission has been granted for Havebury Housing Partnership to build four one-bedroom homes behind 85 and 87 High Street, bringing to an end the saga surrounding the future of the cottages.

St Edmundsbury Council’s development control committee approved Havebury’s plans yesterday (Thursday, March 6), which will see the three flats and one house built in the grounds behind the 19th Century cottages following the demolition of garages and outbuildings.

Havebury had provoked the anger of the local community with it’s initial plans to destroy the cottages and build six homes there, but these plans were rejected by the council largely due to local opposition and the historical significance of the buildings with a conservation area.

The two homes were later bought at auction on the stipulation they would be conserved and rennovated to become homes again.

Havebury agreed a compromise that would see them build the four homes in the rear if the two cottages were bought, but the threat of demolition and the orginal planning application for that had remained in abeyance.

Jason Crooks, who campaigned for the two historic cottages to be rennovated rather than destroyed, said: “This is fantastic news and I’m absolutely delighted that the future of the historic cottages are now secure and a part of Haverhill’s heritage has been saved.

“It’s been a long rocky road which has finished with a good planning compromise.”

For the full story and all the latest news see Thursday’s (March 13) Echo.